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Tagged: Jason Sada
MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference 2012- Day 2
For those wondering why it took me so long to get this posted, last week (March 4th- 10th was National Procrastination Week), and I was… er… celebrating until this past Sunday. So anyway, here is the entry…
Ah, day 2. This conference couldn't get any better, right? Well, it didn't. It simply maintained its awesomeness from the first day, but before we delve into the events of the second day, here are some items I got on the first day that I would like to share. First, here is the ID I used to enter the convention center. It might look familiar to those of you who follow me on Twitter (If you don't follow me on Twitter and would like to do so there is a button to do so over there —> It is near the top of the page):
Pretty self-explanatory, right?
At the door, in addition to giving us those spiffy IDs, we also got a "goodie bag" of sorts:
The lower right item is the bag all this other stuff came in. The labeled items going clockwise from the bag are: an ESPN the magazine you may recognize from my introductory entry to this conference, the "handbook" is really a book that explains everything about the conference. Mostly, it has all of the panels and bios of each of the participants, a list of all of the participants in the conference (about 2,200) sorted by organization, and finally, a mouse pad that is basically a square cut out of some thin plastic sheet ( I actually don't know if it is a mouse pad, but I assume so with how it looks). The other two things are a metallic bottle and some book I still haven't figured out the theme of.
So anyway, NOW let's get to the action of the day. There was no common panel for everyone to watch this day. It was just "go directly from breakfast to your first session". That first session for me was "Measuring Belief in Sports Performance Research". Since it wasn't Baseball-related, here are only a few of the slides:
Just to give you an idea of the "globality" of this conference, the talk was given by this guy, Peter Blanch:
Yeah, well he's from Australia.
The next talk was sort of a spin-off of a talk I had heard the previous day in that Peter Fadde helped research for this company.
Anyway, it was "Training Above The Neck". The company was Axon Performance and the talk was given by their vice-president, Jason Sada:
The idea of the company is to enact Malcolm Gladwell's idea of getting mastery of something with 10,000 hours of practice, but instead of having a player go on the field and wear down their body's mileage and risk injury, the athletes master the mental aspect of the game through their products. An example of the mileage thing being the case is, for those who pay attention to football, Quarterbacks will almost always say after they're retired that once they started figuring out the mental part of the game, their body started failing them. An example of the usage of these products is that Minor League Baseball Players, who have eons of time traveling on buses, could actually see 5,000 pitches and practice identifying the first 1/8th of a pitch's flight instead of just being bored out of their mind. This really was a presentation meant to be experience and not read, so I actually won't post any of the slides. For example, the presentation started off with a movie about the company.
Not to belittle the other sessions, but next was by far my favorite session of the day and quite possibly the conference. Actually, though, it wasn't as easy a choice as you might have thought. Right up until the end of Axon Sports' presentation, I still didn't know whether I was going to either: Franchises In Transition, or Box Score Rebooted. Right at the end of the session I thought to myself, "Hey, doofus, what are you even debating? You are a stat-oriented Baseball fan. Go to Box Score Rebooted!" So not only did I go to that one, but it was boxed lunch time so I was able to out-race people and get in the first row of seats. Check out the view I had:
Mind you, this shot was taken with the camera zoomed all the way out.
You may be able to recognize one of the panelists, but let me introduce them all:
John Walsh (moderator):
– Executive Vice-President ESPN.
Bill James:
– I already introduced him in the previous day's entry.
Dean Oliver:
– Director of Production Analytics ESPN ( if you have seen TQBR in football used, he was part of the team that invented it).
John Dewan:
– The founder of STATS Inc.
John Thorn:
– Official Historian for MLB.
Trust me when I tell you they had some very interesting things they talked about, but unfortunately I don't have my notes with me as I lent them to someone else who wanted to know about the conference. Like the Ron Shapiro video, I'll tweet it out when I update the entry. However, here is a video if you want to watch the whole panel:
Also, here's the panel I was thinking of going to. You can tell me if you think I made the right choice:
Next up was a session that I really didn't expect, and it was disappointing as a result. It was a competition between business schools when I thought it was going to be a presentation or panel on business. So, I'll show the competitors and that's it.
Here are the three people from the first school I forgot the names of, even though they were sitting right next to me prior to, and during the competition:
University of Chicago Booth School, the eventual winners:
So anyway, after that it was time for "Building the Modern Athlete: Performance Analyitcs". This panel was made up of:
Peter Keating (moderator):
– Senior Writer for ESPN the Magazine.
Mark Verstegen:
– CEO of Athlete's Performance.
John Brenkus:
– Co-Founder of BASE Productions.
Mike McCann:
– Legal Analyst for Sports Illustrated.
Kevin Pritchard:
– Director of Player Personnel for the Indiana Pacers.
Angela Ruggiero:
– Four-time Olympic Ice Hockey Medalist.
This panel really didn't talk a bout Baseball at all, so I'll refrain from writing about the content of it.
The next panel I went to was entitled, "Fanalytics". It was either that or "Fantasy Sports Analytics". The deciding factor was that the former was held in the Ballroom, so I would have an easier time finding a good seat for the closing ceremonies. So, I left the previous session a tad early and managed to grab a seat in the section directly in front of the stage. Unfortunately, it was towards the back so all of my pictures were taken through the heads of people in front of me and some of the "good" pictures were ruined as a result, but anyway, here are the panelists:
Bill Simmons (moderator):
– Writer for ESPN. Listed, though, as the editor-in-cheif for Grantland, which is that mysterious book in the middle of the second picture of the entry.
Jonathan Kraft:
– President of the Kraft Group.
John Walsh:
– I already introduced him in this entry.
Nathan Hubbard:
– CEO of Ticketmaster.
Tim Brosnan:
– Executive Vice President of Business for MLB.
It really wasn't a Baseball panel per say, but I think its better moment came from the Baseball related banter going on between Bill Simmons and Tim Brosnan. For example, Bill complaining about the fact that you can't watch Baseball clips on Youtube and then Tim responding to it. If I ever get around to posting the footage I have of this panel, I'll tweet it that the entry has been edited, but it's pretty crumby because of all the people's heads I had to constantly move my camera out of the way of. So if you want to watch it just for the entertainment value of that (and it was entertaining to those of us present), here is the video if you want to watch:
Next up was the First Annual Alpha Awards, which were awards in the field of analytics made for the conference. There were a bunch of them, so I'll just highlight the most notable ones.
First (I believe), was Bill James winning the "Lifetime Achievement" Award. Here is a video I took of the occasion. I apologize for the blurriness, I had a telephoto lens all the way zoomed-in, so I wasn't exactly close, and the camera was feeling heavy at this point:
Next was the Tampa Bay Rays winning the prize for best-run organization (this being in terms of analytics, of course):
The last notable award was for the University of Chicago Booth school winning the business competition I was at earlier:
I really have no idea whether those events actually took place in the order I presented them, but I do know that after the awards, there was a "Live B.S. Report" with Mark Cuban.
First of all, it was a completely non-baseball "session", so I won't share anything besides the pictures, but it was a unique situation that I want to describe in that this was Mark Cuban's only session of the conference (it was the last session of the conference period). Even though he was supposed to be there the whole weekend. So he basically flew out from wherever just for this session. The only other panel I attended he should have been in was the "Fanalytics" panel. So, here are the pictures:
After the BS Report itself ended, Cuban and Simmons got mobbed on the stage by all of the MIT students who organized the event and personally thanked/ shook the hand of each one of them. If you are a Basketball or aspiring Sports Business person, it may be a session to listen to as both involved are "personalities". So for those of you who do want to take a look/listen, here is the video:
They were then nice enough to pose for me to take a picture. Don't let their eyes fool you, the whole set-up was for me:
Oh and when I say "mobbed" it's not that much of a stretch. The stage was pretty small and there were a lot of people. This next picture is just me moving the camera to the left to show all of the people outside of the shot, and that's not including the people out-of-frame to the right:
…and that was your conference. I went out in the halls to film a video you will probably never see and went back to my hotel room already planning to comeback next year.
So obviously, I extremely recommend this conference if you are really into sports and live in the North-eastern region of the United States. Even if you don't, it might be worth it. It was just THAT amazing for me.
Lastly, there may be a few more entries regarding this conference coming up, so if you're waiting for the rest of the "Offseason Recap and Preview" entries, bear with me. I wanted to keep writing them all the way up until the beginning of the season and this conference provided the perfect excuse to do so. I will actually be doing an in-school internship involving this blog, so expect entries done during the month of April to be a tad more developed along with me experimenting with a few things. Also, if you want to check out the video page, here, is the link. They used some of my pictures as the shots for the videos. See how many you can pick out that are my pictures from these two entries.
P.S. I really didn't want that to be the last word, just because the conference was so awesome so here are the final word: What a way to spend two days.


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Wichita St. boots No. 1 Gonzaga 76-70
SALT LAKE CITY – Gonzaga's gone.
Cleanthony Early and Ron Baker scored 16 points apiece and Wichita State hit 14 3-pointers, including seven straight late, to knock the top-ranked and No. 1 seeded Bulldogs out of the NCAA tournament 76-70 on Saturday.
The Shockers (28-8) advanced to the Round of 16 for the first time since 2006, while Gonzaga becomes the first top seed to be eliminated.
Gonzaga survived a scare in the second round against Southern but couldn't hold up against a fellow mid-major from Kansas whose motto is "play angry."
The Shockers face the winner of Sunday's game between La Salle and Ole Miss.
Wichita State had the Zags down 13 early. Though Gonzaga (32-3) fought back, the barrage of 3s was too much for the small school from Spokane, Wash.
Kelly Olynyk scored 26 points to lead Gonzaga, and Kevin Pangos had 19.
While Gonzaga held the top spot in the AP Top 25 over the final weeks of the season, skeptics thought of the Bulldogs as a soft No. 1 seed that benefited from a relatively easy schedule in the West Coast Conference while other top contenders were getting banged around in the power conferences.
One thing is sure: Wichita State was not intimidated.
"They never quit," Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall said. "You know we got the big lead, Gonzaga makes a great run as a No. 1 team in the country would, and these guys dig down."
Shockers, for sure.
They showed their grit after Gonzaga's 12-0 run gave the Bulldogs a 49-41 lead with 11:53 left. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Kevin Pangos and Michael Hart started it, Olynyk hit a jumper then a pair of free throws, and Pangos capped it with a steal and fast-break layup.
But Wichita State outscored the Zags 35-21 from there.
Tekele Cotton, Early and Baker hit three straight 3s to get the Shockers within 61-60.
Baker's free throws gave Wichita State the lead for good at 64-63 with 3:10 left. He then hit a 3 and freshman Fred VanVleet helped seal it with a final 3 with 1:28 remaining.
At one point, Early and teammate Chadrack Lufile jumped up and body slammed each other and the Shockers huddled at midcourt for a long team hug. But largely, Wichita State acted like a team that's been there before.
"We play together, we stick to our goals, we're good teammates," Baker said. He hardly looked fazed.


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Italy's singing nun wins 'Voice' competition
MILAN - A nun who became an Internet star for her unadorned pop song performances in full habit triumphed at Italy's version of musical competition "The Voice" early Friday, singing and dancing to a song from the 1980s movie "Flashdance."
Sister Cristina Scuccia has fascinated a global audience from her first surprise appearance in a blind audition back in March to her final number, "Flashdance ... What a Feeling," that clinched her victory among the final four competitors during the four-hour finale.
She took the title, and the Universal record contract, with a convincing 62 percent of the votes -- but her insistence on wearing a habit for the show has raised concerns among some faithful who question whether such exhibitionism is appropriate for a nun, and among critical viewers who see it as a gimmick to win attention.
After winning, Scuccia, 25, thanked `'all those who have helped me in this difficult period," including sisters from her order who have supported her, sitting in the audience during each appearance with joyful smiles.
She reserved her final thanks `'for the one up there," and insisted on reciting the Lord's Prayer after winning, inviting the studio audience and a skeptical panel of judges to join her.
`'I want Jesus to enter here," she said.
Scuccia became an Internet sensation when she appeared in a blind audition on the show in March singing an Alicia Keys number, `'No One," which has since been viewed by at least 50 million on YouTube.
The Sicily native told the panel of judges, stunned at the sight of a pop-singing nun, that she went on the show to share her `'gift," and chose bad-boy rapper J-Ax as her coach. He described the team as "the devil and holy water."
`'It all started as a game," Scuccia said after winning. `'But then, playing the character, every evening I realized my life was changing."


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The Golden Compass – Movie review
The Golden Compass, released a few days ago in India, was fun to watch. This film, like one reviewer said, is reminiscent of a Harry Potter film. However, if I had to compare it to a Harry Potter film, I would say the Golden Compass is far less tension-ridden, certainly less dark, and the plot is more difficult to understand. But this could be because I have not read the book. I certainly felt a lack of coherence in the story-telling (of the movie).
The movie is based on a novel (trilogy) by Philip Pullman and is directed by Chris Weitz. Nicole Kidman and Daniel certainly act in it, but the leading lady is smart intelligent looking Dakota Blue Richards who plays 12 year old Lyra, an orphan. Good acting by the girl and she has been nominated for several awards on account of it.
I enjoy fantasy movies and therefore liked this one, even if the target audience of the film are teens. The animation was absolutely brilliant and if you are an animation fan this movie is worth seeing. It's basically an adventure story and revolves around the young Lyra, who the witches have predicted will decide on the course her world will take in the future. Lyra lives in a parallel universe and this world co-exists with several others on the planet. What is so special about Lyra's world? Well their souls (called demons) don't exist within their bodies, but outside, and are in the form of animals and/birds/creatures. The animation was an absolute treat to watch and I guess that is why I found the movie so enjoyable. The expressions on the faces of the creatures are amazingly human and quite natural.
The villain in The Golden Compass is the government (called the Magisterium). They know that other worlds exist out there, but are reluctant to discover those other worlds. In fact their main aim is to hide the truth from the people as they feel that this will decrease their power. Lyra's uncle Lord Asriel (Daniel Craig), thinks differently and sets out to discover these new worlds, where he has heard people do not have demons, and this upsets the Magisterium. They want to kill him…stop him at any cost.
It is interesting to note that the term 'demon' here is not used in a negative sense. Apparently this movie was almost banned by the church in some countries because it is considered some sort of 'atheist' movie. I guess there are layers of some sort in the movie, of rebellion against a government which apparently stands for organised religion (christianity?) but it's possible to enjoy the movie without going too deeply into it. I preferred it that way as I could not really get the religious symbolism.
The Golden Compass is so named because of a mysterious instrument which tells the truth. But only a few can read it, and Lyra is one of them. It is with the help of the compass that she and her demon set out on their adventure. Lyra has two things on her agenda. One, to find the disappearing children in the village (the kidnappers are called the Gobblers and it's a mystery as to why the children are disappearing) and the second is to find her uncle who has set out north to try and discover a way to reach the other worlds. Lyra's compass has told her that he is in danger.
Before she sets out on her travels, Lyra meets the beautiful and charming Mrs. Coulter (Nicole Kidman) and is mesmerized by her charm and show of affection. The viewer is kept guessing as to which side Mrs. Coulter is on…as her good and evil side is revealed alternatively. Until the end of the movie we aren't really sure…and I think that's left for the next movie in the triology.
During her journey Lyra meets many interesting characters – human, animal and supernatural. Some have demons, some don't. However I didn't like the way the plot was strung together. It was like watching a series of interesting incidents patched together into a movie. Odd feeling to get in a movie which is based on a novel. If you compare it to really superb fantasy movies like Lord of the Rings or even a fantasy adventure like Harry Potter, this movie pales in comparison. But this week there wasn't any other new release that we thought worth seeing. And movie buffs that both me and my husband are (he particularly enjoys fantasy movies) we decided to to watch this one. And no, we didn't regret our decision. It really wasn't a bad sort of movie.
If I had to sum it up I would say it's a time-pass film, with brilliant animation. It's also a safe film to take one's kids too. I think those in the age bracket of 10-18 will enjoy this film better than adults. Maybe I liked it because I am er…18 😉 At heart I mean.


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Guest Blogger: Brewing weekend
Andrew Kuhn
I'm going a little brewing crazy this weekend, and making two beers.
The first, will be the Imperial Stout which will have coconut added to it in the secondary in a couple of weeks.
The second, will be a wheat ale using my own chinook hops. Both are going to made a little on the fly as I'm not following a recipe of any kind.
This is what I love about beer making. The risk of not following a recipe, and just going on what I know. This might drive some people nuts, but for me its a heck of a lot of fun. Then I can use the spent grain, and make bread with it. Should be fun.


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This page shows a sample of the blogs I follow as regularly as possible through Google Reader or direct subscription.
Some are family history oriented (so I think of them as work as well as play) others are purely for fun. This list is not static but I don't always update it as quickly as I should. My Google Reader feed grows daily. If you know I visit your blog and it's not on this list, please leave a comment and I'll remedy my omission.
I like to comment on many of the blogs I follow because I know how much I appreciate comments on my blog. In return I will always respond with my reply as soon as possible.
Bewitched by Books (neglected)
From Dorfprozelten to Australia (about the Dorfprozelten emigrants to Australia)
Tropical Territory and Travel (life in the Tropics in photos and stories and my travel yarns)
FAMILY, LOCAL and GENERAL HISTORY
A Pocketful of Family Memories
Diary of an Australian Genealogist
Family Stories Photographs and Memories
Irish Graves –They who sleep in foreign lands
On a Flesh and Bone Foundation: An Irish History
Seeking Susan ~ Meeting Marie ~ Finding Family
Shauna Hicks History Enterprises
Toowoomba & Darling Downs Family History Society
Your Brisbane: Past and Present
BOOKS, READING and WRITING
No More Wriggling out of Writing


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WASHINGTON — It's no secret that smoking causes lung cancer. But what about diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, erectile dysfunction? Fifty years into the war on smoking, scientists still are adding diseases to the long list of cigarettes' harms — even as the government struggles to get more people to kick the habit.
A new report from the U.S. Surgeon General's office says the nation is at a crossroads, celebrating decades of progress against the chief preventable killer but not yet poised to finish the job.
"The real emphasis needs to be put on the fact that we still have a major and tragic catastrophe going on," said acting Surgeon General Boris Lushniak.
The report, being released Friday, is a dash of cold water after last week's headlines marking the 50th anniversary of the landmark 1964 surgeon general's report that launched the anti-smoking movement. Yes, far fewer Americans smoke today — about 18 percent of adults, down from more than 42 percent in 1964.
But the government may not meet its goal of dropping that rate to 12 percent by 2020, the new report cautioned.
Nearly half a million people will die from smoking-related diseases this year. Each day, more than 3,200 youths smoke their first cigarette. New products such as e-cigarettes, with effects that aren't yet understood, complicate public health messages. And if current trends continue unabated, 5.6 million of today's children and teens will go on to die prematurely during adulthood because of smoking, the report found.
Remarkably, the report adds more entries to the official list of smoking-caused diseases, including Type 2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, erectile dysfunction, the macular degeneration that can blind older adults, two additional cancers — liver and colorectal — and cleft palate birth defects.
"Enough is enough," said Lushniak. He urged new resolve to end smoking by increasing use of proven tobacco-control measures, including price hikes for cigarettes and expanding comprehensive indoor-smoking bans that he said currently cover about half the population.
The report also encourages research into newer ideas, such as whether lowering the amount of addictive nicotine in cigarettes would help people quit.
Here are some ways the smoking landscape has changed between the 1964 surgeon general's report and Friday's:
1964: The surgeon general declares that cigarette smoking increases deaths.
2014: About 20.8 million people in the U.S. have died from smoking-related diseases since then, a toll the report puts at 10 times the number of Americans who have died in all of the nation's wars combined. Most were smokers or former smokers, but nearly 2.5 million died from heart disease or lung cancer caused by secondhand smoke.
1964: Heavy smoking is declared the main cause of lung cancer, at least in men. "The data for women, though less extensive, point in the same direction."
2014: Today, lung cancer is the top cancer killer, and women who smoke have about the same risk of dying from it as men. As smoking has declined, rates of new lung cancer diagnoses are declining nearly 3 percent a year among men and about 1 percent a year among women.
1964: Male smokers were dying of heart disease more than nonsmokers, but the surgeon general stopped short of declaring cigarettes a cause of heart disease.
2014: Today, heart disease actually claims more lives of smokers 35 and older than lung cancer does. Likewise, secondhand smoke is riskier for your heart. Smoke-free laws have been linked to reductions in heart attacks. Friday's surgeon general report also found that secondhand smoke increases the risk of a stroke.
1964: Smoking in pregnancy results in low-birth-weight babies.
2014: Friday's report said 100,000 of the smoking-caused deaths over the past 20 years were babies who died of sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS, or complications from prematurity, low birth weight or other conditions related to parents' smoking. And it adds cleft palate birth defects to that list of smoking risks to babies.
1964: The more you smoke, the bigger the risk of death.
2014: Smokers are estimated to shorten their life by more than a decade. But stopping can lower that risk; sooner is better.
1964: That first report focused mostly on lung effects and couldn't prove whether certain other illnesses were caused by smoking.
2014: Doctors now know that smoking impacts nearly every organ of the body, and Friday's report said medical care for smoking-caused illnesses is costing the country more than $130 billion a year. Add to that lost productivity of more than $150 billion a year.
1964: Cigarettes were the major concern. "The habitual use of tobacco is related primarily to psychological and social drives, reinforced and perpetuated by pharmacological (drug) actions of nicotine."
2014: "The tobacco industry continues to introduce and market new products that establish and maintain nicotine addiction," Friday's report says. The percentage of middle and high school students who use electronic or e-cigarettes more than doubled between 2011 and 2012.
1964: That first report called for "remedial actions" to reduce smoking. Warning labels on cigarette packaging started appearing a year later.
2014: With warnings now everywhere, Friday's report says, "We know that increasing the cost of cigarettes is one of the most powerful interventions we can make." In 2012, the average price of a pack of cigarettes was $6, largely reflecting an increase in state and federal taxes. For every 10 percent increase in the price, there's a 4 percent drop in smoking.
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We're Keeping Them Honest, as a school rejects a 13-year-old honors student because he has HIV.
This makes me sick. That poor child! What is wrong with people?
Let me start by saying that I feel for this young man. He is going to have to live through a lifetime of challenges, most I could not even begin to imagine. That being said, I feel that too many people seem to want to bring to light the things that go wrong with Milton Hershey School. I read about my Alma Mater or hear about it on television or radio and it is almost always about a negative issue...the sexual abuse, the misuse of the Trust's funds, and now this. I wish that someone would instead, at least once, focus on all of the positives that this school has done for the thousands of children that have passed through the doors of the school that Milton Snavely Hershey created with his own money and enormous heart. Milton Hershey School has an obligation to the current and future students of that institution. This is not a day school, where the child goes home every day. This IS his or her home for 10 or more months out of the year. This was MY home for 7 years. This is STILL my family that the media continues to put in the spotlight. The school is not perfect. No one ever said it was. I stand by my Alma Mater, my school, my family, just as I am sure that thousands of others who have been priviledged enough to benefit from Mr. Hershey's generousity will.
Education is available to every child in this country, PUBLICLY! Milton Hershey School, is a PRIVATE school, with a VERY unique enrollment process! I am an alumnae and a mother of 3, I feel the school is doing the RIGHT thing. This is one child, they are looking at the well being of THOUSANDS of children ALREADY enrolled! He is NOT the first kid to be denied enrollment to MHS and I'm sure he won't be the last. In the close living environment we lived in, MANY things could happen that would put the other kids at risk. So with that said, the media, NON Milts, and those that choose to NOT educate themselves on the HISTORY of our school, please LEARN about what MHS is and who they take care of before you speak! Also MHS has had numerous students that had cancer and they took care of their medical bills. Because cancer is not a communicable disease and they were already enrolled there. You have to have a certain IQ to qualify enrollment, not be on certain behavior medications, or certain pre-existing diseases. Unfortunately, this kid has NOT met the pre-enrollment criteria that the current students and past Alumni were able to do. So keep doing what your doing and I hope your mother understands that like her, many parents are also concerned with the well being of their children!
Claudia MHS class of 1994
The ADA explicitly states that it is against Federal Law to discriminate against a person with HIV/AIDS and this school is violating that law out of fear and just plain ignorance! This kid, through no fault of his own, was born with HIV and not is condemned to educate and better himself? Where is Magic Johnson and Bono and Bill Clinton to rise up and speak up for him? Im raging with anger over this story! I can't believe that in todays society their are people just plain out stupid and ignorant. Mr Hershey would be ashamed of this decision and the Hershey family should also speak up! They want to discriminate? Well, they should loose all state and federal funding, assistance, tax status and make them suffer. This kid suffers enough every day and now this? Im simply appalled. This is America isn't it? Because for a minute their I though it was not!
I am a former MHS student from class of 91. I can stand by MHS 100%. Students / teenagers do fool around and make decisions based on spare of the moment. When you go to MHS you are living with your peers and with them the entire time. Your relationships grow stronger then in any other environment of a school setting. MHS has tough decisions to make and they have to base them on the factors of ALL students and staff at MHS. They are a great school with great people. The decision is not based on one student – it is based on 1800 plus students that MHS is responsible for.
Regarding the HIV positive student denied entrance to the MIlton Hershey school, I am wondering if this is not a "cya" effort from the powers that be at Milton Hershey. Considering the recent events at Penn State, I would not be surprised if the school board realizes that their decision will very likely be overturned in court and are just covering themselves so if something did happen they could defend themselves by saying "We tried to prevent this".
I would also like to know where exactly these people think children with HIV should go to school?
They deserve the same opportunities offered to all children in this country.
Because of child's age probably cannot be discussed but school there may be serious concerns about the emotional makeup of the 13 yr old or maybe it is simple – being an honor roll student maybe he has other options, or maybe another equally worthy student completing for open position at schiool, etc. Honor roll status of a student doesn't necessarily say everything. Calculated expensive legal move makes one wonder why this route. Sounds like a lot to get to the bottom of,,, I have a profoundly disabled 19 yr old daughter and I see a lot of bizarre behavior. The ADA is important but so is common sense.
I am still amazed that in 2011 we still have discrimination!!! I have a disability for which I was born with I was so grateful for 1990 when The American's with Disability Act was signed into law!! I am a disability advocate for myself & for other's who can't speak for themselves! I hope & pray in this case of the 13 year old boy with HIV will WIN to send a message to everyone that it's against the law to discriminate!!!
Anderson, you have a fundamental misunderstanding of the case. The school does not want to discriminate against HIV Positive kids, unfortunately they do not have the resources to be a constant police force. If your child was dating an HIV Positive kid from high school, I can guarantee you would want to have an individualized and personal talk with him/her. That is simply unfeasible for the school and so they are doing the only responsible thing.
I think this is a very difficult decision to make. The law gives us freedom. Freedom does come at a cost to us and with that we need boundaries. I once was told that I could not attend a six flags trip with our youth ministry because i lived with my then boyfriend. My now, husband and I were very sad and we struggled to understand. Through the years I've learned some people are afraid to let a person in that they are not comfortable with. Basically, it boils down to, LIFE is not FAIR. We have to let those who are afraid, do what they have too. It is a boundary for these people that is need of prayer. Decisions based on a person's medical well being could actually start a medical label war between the infected and the healthy that we may never be able to heal. A War that we do not need at this time in our lives on this earth. PEACE is growing even farther away.....terribly sad in Illinois. mandy
Let's say that the worst case scenario happens where an HIV student who becomes enrolled in the school spreads the HIV virus. Would the school be then responsible for the student's actions?
My son was born hiv positive. He was raised in a small town in Colorado. He had a friend. When the parents found out he was hiv positive, this relationship was cut off. The effect was devastating. He is such a great kid. The town nurse told these people that he was a threat to their health. Unbelievable. This was 1998. His mom and sister had both died from this disease. He however has survived and to this day is healthy. He is 26 years old now. This school is living in a vacuum. Perhaps they would like all hiv positive people to be sent to some island like Molokai. I hear they have moved beyond the stigma of leprosi!
I want to know if all the students have been tested for HIV as I have heard that children across the world have HIV and don't even know it, some of these special needs children could have it due to transfusions etc....how can they single this child out....also test the teachers and others who work there!!! I think they might be surprised on test results.
Anderson: Milton Hershey School does not accept some students with other disabilities. Blind kids cannot attend, Mentally Handicapped cannot, those who are unable to walk cannot, deaf students cannot. These are also disabilities. Please consider and learn about MHS before attacking it.
I urge eveyone to join me in boycotting everything Hershey - their foods as well as the city - until they reverse this immoral and illegal decision.
I had no idea that people with HIV are protected under the ADA.... How is having HIV a disability? Maybe 20 years ago it was okay to have this under the ADA when we didn't know that much about HIV... With 2012 around the corner and what we now know about HIV perhaps the ADA needs to be reviewed again.
It seems obvious to me that the Hershey School wants a free pass. When the courts rule against them and the student is enrolled, they cannot be held responsible for any future event concerning the medical condition of this child. I think it speaks more of our litigious society than it does about Hershey.
ok i hope these same educators paid attention to the whole situation in Indiana with the Ryan White which got sued and this actually created the Ryan White Program
This is appalling. I am shocked that this woman would get on television and say what she has said. But the worst part is how this must be impacting this poor kid. Though the court case will no doubt favor him, the personal emotional damage to this child is done.
Why not tell the public the shocking secret that HIV is only passed 1 in 1000 unprotected sex acts with an infected partner? See the work of Nancy Padian. And how big is the study that shows that a 1 in 1000 event is reduced 96% when antiretrovirals are taken? You'd need 10's of thousands in the study to make that claim...
A boarding school that's concerned their students could possibly have sex with each other? They should be 100% certain that with the supervision they provide, they wouldn't have to worry about that. I'm glad I'm not the parent of one of their students. I'd be wondering what's going on there.
I was exposed and contracted HIV some 16 years ago. I am currently deemed disabled by the U.S. government. I think that if this school is funded in any way by our government all funds and support should be STOPPED. Have we not progressed medically and more greatly morally, if not then we are doomed as a society.
I am a retired teacher and mental health professional. If this student wants a home and school I am happy to help, Let the student know he or she has a place to stay and be with an advocate. This is horrible
Outrageous ! Socially , ethically , morally reprehensible ....Senseless discrimination on a campus supposedly so famous for assisting children with issues of all kinds, I am just speechless, embarrassed and disgusted.
I can understand why the Hershey School hesitates to admit the HIV+ teen. I think they are concerned for their liability and having the courts order the student be admitted makes it difficult to hold the school liable in the future should something happen. It is an unfortunate circumstance that a teen would be HIV+ at all.
By allowing this to go to court (and the court making the dicision) the school can then duck the blame if something is to happen between the students and another child is to get sick.
The court takes on the responsibility and the school is not as sueable
I don't see what the issue is. The student is being denied an education for no reason other than the school admin. doesn't want this student to attend. "unique environment" or not the student should receive a FULL education no matter what disease the have. I believe the school just does not want to accomidate a student that could make other students uncomfortable and that is just wrong and plain discriminating.
Hard questioning is OK, but your tone was hectoring in interviewing the lady from PA. Might have received better answers if the tone was conversational. Usually like your show, but this was not proper journalistic style.


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Tadas Viskanta is the founder and editor of the indispensable investment blog, Abnormal Returns. Over its six-year life, Abnormal Returns has become a fixture in the financial blogosphere. Over thousands of posts Tadas has brought the best of the financial blogosphere to readers. He is a private investor with over 20 years of experience in the financial markets. He is the co-author of over a dozen investment-related papers that have appeared in publications like the Financial Analysts Journal and Journal of Portfolio Management, among others. Tadas is also the author of the terrific new book: Abnormal Returns: Winning Strategies from the Frontlines of the Investment Blogosphere, which culls lessons learned from his time blogging.
Tadas (pictured right) holds a MBA from the University of Chicago and a BA from Indiana University. He lives with his family in the heartland of America. He has graciously agreed to answer what I hope are Five Good Questions.
1. Your book – rightly I think – describes investing as the "last liberal art" since what is interesting in investing isn't really captured by the data. How then do you suggest using the data we have and integrating it into the liberal art of investing?
We are awash in data. You could even say we are in a bull market for economic and financial indicators. It seems like every week there is a brand new indicator that will purportedly help us better understand the economic world around us. Despite all of this information I would argue that the vast majority of investors are not rigorous enough in their use of data.
Most investors rather than using a structured approach to stock selection and portfolio construction are really flying by the seat of their pants. This ad hoc approach leads to all manner of bad behaviors including overtrading and underdiversifcation. That is why client portfolios often look like a mish mash of stocks and funds than a consciously chosen strategy.
Unfortunately the data don't often tell us the whole story. Every investor whether their approach be fundamental, technical or quantitative is going to have a period in which they underperform. The question is then asked: Is it different this time? Is my model/worldview broken? Most of the time with a well-constructed strategy it makes sense to stay the course.
However, sometimes the world really does change, oftentimes abruptly. If anything you could argue that these trend breaks are more likely now than ever before due to technology. Identifying these disruptive periods require a grounding not only in finance, accounting and economics but also in history, technology, politics and psychology to name but a few.
2. The book focuses on an investor's need for humility since we can so easily go "off the rails." What techniques or devices do you use to try to guard against errors?
Most investors would claim that their time horizons are in the decades if not years, let alone months, weeks or years. If that is the case then are they spending their time watching CNBC and trying to trade during the day?
Their time would be much better spent reading, doing analysis and thinking than worrying about the minute-to-minute gyrations of the market. There are very few people are able to make money in that time frame especially as high frequency trading now dominates intraday trading.
What matters often is not the news itself, but the market's reaction to the news. That requires more perspective than you are going to get from the financial media. If there really is no good way to limit your consumption of the media then you really have to block it out entirely and focus on what matters. Your intraday decisions are more likely to hurt than help over the long run.
3. Following John Bogle and holding a portfolio of exceedingly broadly diversified index funds essentially forever would fit with your suggestion that investors avoid the active management game and keep things simple. Are you a total buyer of the concept?
Up to a point. I think for the vast majority of investors a broadly diversified portfolio of index funds, rebalanced regularly with an eye on taxes and expenses should be their default approach. Two things are important to note.
Active strategies whether they are stock selection, market timing or manager selection are costly. Whether you do it yourself or hire a manger these strategies increase your expenses with no guarantee that they will necessarily increase your returns for the risk taken.
Not only is there an explicit cost there is also an opportunity cost. The time and effort put into trying to generate additional returns could be spent in other ways. These don't necessarily have to do with investing. Most investors don't have the burning desire to be active portfolio managers. Their time would be better spent on their careers or family rather than in the pursuit of a few more basis points of returns.
4. You extol the virtue of "investment mediocrity" in your book. When, if ever, should we strive to do better than that?
I say in that book that investment mediocrity or competence is not too low a hurdle. John Bogle has written extensively about how it is that a low cost indexed approach to investing will actually lead to above average returns. This occurs by simply avoiding the high cost, active game that most everyone else is playing.
This doesn't exclude the possibility of finding managers that can outperform. The challenge is identifying them ahead of time and hoping that their alpha will outweigh whatever fees they charge. I talk about in the book the difference between luck and skill in investing. Unfortunately there is no easy way of teasing out these two effects.
Investing is one of those rare endeavors where amateurs can compete directly with professionals. That is an enticing prospect. Investors just need to be aware that the odds are against them and that there are real costs, both explicit and implicit, in taking on an active approach.
All that being said I don't think I or anyone else should dissuade a highly motivated investor from undertaking active strategies. No one can say ahead of time who will or will not be successful. It requires actually doing it and getting your hands dirty. However, investors need to undertake active strategies, like they would any other business endeavor, with rigor and above all a focus on risk.
5. What is the best piece of investment advice you ever received?
"There is no must-own stock/fund/asset class, etc."
This kind of thinking leads investors to load up on Internet stocks in 1999 and second homes in 2006. Investors are easily caught up the waves of sentiment that drive markets. We are driven to own a certain asset lest we feel like we are missing out some once in a lifetime opportunity. This peer pressure leads us to make decisions that ultimately work against our own best interests.
Every investor is ultimately his or her own client. You have only to answer to yourself and your own goals. You have to feel comfortable and confident with your decisions and you shouldn't feel that you have to do something because everyone else is doing it. This ultimately leads to a real disconnect between the risk we think we can take and actual risks we are taking.
This dissonance in risk perception in theory and in practice is what leads to investors reducing risk at market bottoms and increasing risk at market tops. This so-called "behavior gap" drives a wedge between the returns we can earn and what we ultimately earn. In today's markets there just isn't that much in the way of nominal returns where we can afford to lose much to our own unforced errors.
Also in the Five Good Questions series:


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January 13, 2014
SPRINGFIELD - The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) today announced new Firearm Owner Identification (FOID) Mental Health Reporting System requirements as part of the Firearm Concealed Carry Act (PA 98-063). IDHS plans to raise awareness of the new law that took effect on July 9, 2013, that requires a variety of clinicians and other health professionals to report patients who they believe pose a "clear and present danger" to themselves or others. The definition of "clear and present danger" has been clarified and the number of health professions required to report has been expanded under the new law.
"The new concealed carry law broadens the scope of the Illinois FOID Mental Health Reporting System, both [in terms of] who must report and what information they must report," IDHS Secretary Michelle R.B. Saddler said. "We are partnering with our sister state agencies and many statewide associations and others to ensure that clinicians and facilities understand the importance of the new reporting requirements."
The Illinois FOID Mental Health Reporting System is an online system administered by IDHS. It collects information on persons in Illinois who have been declared in court to be mentally disabled; admitted to an inpatient mental health facility within the last five years; determined to be a "clear and present danger" to themselves or others or determined to be developmentally disabled.
The system mandates clinicians, mental health facilities and qualified examiners to report persons who meet any of the above criteria to IDHS within the time frames set forth in the law. A qualified examiner includes social workers, registered nurses, clinical professional counselors, and marriage and family therapists who report only if they have an additional three years of clinical experience involving evaluation and treatment with patients that have a mental illness.
IDHS then cross-references persons to the ISP FOID database for matches, which are then reported to the Illinois State Police. ISP is then responsible for investigating and processing or rejecting the application for the FOID card. The purpose of these regulations is to save lives through common sense reform and careful oversight.
IDHS must be notified of anyone who communicates a serious threat of physical violence against a reasonably identifiable victim or poses a clear and imminent risk of serious physical injury to himself, herself or another person; or who demonstrates threatening physical or verbal behavior, such as violent, suicidal, or assaultive threats, actions, or other behavior as determined by a physician, clinical psychologist or qualified examiner. All reports must be completed via the new Illinois FOID Reporting System developed and maintained by IDHS.
Those entities required to report include hospitals; nursing homes; residential settings; and outpatient facilities. Clinicians and qualified examiners who must report include; physicians; psychiatrists; clinical psychologists; clinical social workers; registered nurses; licensed clinical professional counselors; and marriage and family therapists. All reporting is confidential and HIPAA compliant.
To learn more about the Illinois FOID Mental Health Reporting System, go to https://foid2.dhs.illinois.gov/foidsecure/foidapp.
Illinois Department of Human ServicesJB Pritzker, Governor · Grace B. Hou, Secretary
IDHS Office Locator
IDHS Help Line
© 2023 Illinois Department of Human Services


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Hike for Hospice 2023
Save the Date for the 2023 Hike for Hospice ~ Saturday, September 16, 2023 at Roth Park in Woodstock
Accreditation Canada is an independent, not-for-profit organization that consults with experts to develop health care standards based on best practices. They accredit a wide range of health care and social services providers, including hospitals, nursing homes, long-term care facilities, clinics, and community health programs. Accreditation Canada has been helping providers improve health care quality and safety for more than 55 years.
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Andy Samberg says anyone let go from 'Saturday Night Live' should know their career isn't over
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. – Andy Samberg wants ousted "Saturday Night Live" cast members to know there is life after the comedy show.
Brooks Wheelan tweeted earlier this week that he had been fired from the NBC sketch comedy series.
A source familiar with casting but not authorized to speak on the record told The Associated Press that he would not be returning in the fall.
Talking to journalists Wednesday at a Television Critics Association set visit for Fox's "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," Samberg said, "If you were hired ... there's something good going on with you."
Samberg was a featured cast member on "SNL" from 2005 to 2012.
The 35-year-old returned to guest host earlier this year after winning the Golden Globe Award for best actor in a television series musical or comedy for "Nine-Nine."
He said the only difference about hosting was that he didn't worry about being cut from the episode.
He joked, "When I order a coffee, it comes sooner because I don't have to wait for 30 other people's coffees. Other than that it's almost exactly the same."
Samberg is happy to be back in California to film "Nine-Nine" because he was raised in Berkeley. He also says it's better for his marriage (he wed musician Joanna Newsom last September).
"The schedule (now) is much better. ... 'SNL' is notoriously bad for a relationship," he said.


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You could read the show notes from The Malliard Report's many recorded podcasts as lots of people do but you'd be shortchanging yourself. For the best of what the show has to offer you really need to listen to the recorded shows as increasing numbers of people are doing. You'll get more information, more details and just more of everything you want to know.
Jim explores the back story, the hidden story, the things others host's are afraid to touch. The Malliard Report brings it all to you. Full bore. Jim says Bring it on, bring it on, nothin' we can't handle.
There's the show and then there's the show notes which give brief details for those on the run who really don't have time to listen. But again, you are short changing yourself if you only read the show notes. Just listen to a few shows and you'll be convinced that the show is your best bet
What are you waiting for? The show notes are good but listening to the recorded live shows is even better. Set aside some time and pick a show. Gather your friends, have a listening party, ask questions, come up with your own theories, and share them on an upcoming show. Take a few minutes and I'm sure once you listen to a few shows you'll want to join our growing audience of dedicated and committed fans. We have the information that you've always wanted to know. We ask the questions others are afraid to ask and get the answers others are afraid to say. We are The Maillard Report. Listen today.
Original Show Notes
"find the right people" Psychic- Medium JD Robinson
My Thoughs
JD was a great guest. Make me think about the world around me and the people i deal with. Will return if he wants.
JD's Review
"one of the best interviewers I have worked with."


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It's been almost three weeks since I've made it onto the computer. I'm sure you were wondering if I had some sort of mysterious injury related to a grub hoe and a compost bin. But I assure you, everything is fine. The sun has been out, and things have been growing like mad, including both boys and C. So the blog has been collecting dust! In the mean time, I've been able to get a few things done around here.
We picked cucumbers up at our CSA and put up 48 quarts of pickles.
We got the tree trunk and stump hauled away to a mill.
And we put some 7 pounds of elk meat into the dehydrator to become jerky.
We harvested corn and our first potatoes with the neighbor.
I have to say that harvesting potatoes is one of the funnest things ever – it's like a treasure hunt!
We ended up with 40 pounds of fingerlings and 50 pounds of Desirre red potatoes! We will have plenty for seed next year and hopefully enough to store through the winter.
We also have a neighborhood BBQ in the works and have been spreading the hens' good will via eggs and some extra garden onions.
We are getting ready for some berry picking and peach picking in the next week or two. I am excited to get some preserves into the pantry as well. We are going to take a walk tomorrow to the house with the concord grape vine and see if the new family there will share some grapes with us this year like the last tenants there did. We are bringing some 2010 jam with us to give them as an incentive!
The late summer/early fall is one of the busiest times around our homestead. Harvests are coming in, the dehydrator is running, and we are trying to see if we can manage to get the yard back in shape in time to participate in the second annual Denver Botanic Gardens chicken coop tour. If you remember, I made some improvements on the coop this spring with the tour in mind, and last year was a lot of fun, so it'd be really great if we can pull it together in time. More updated posts in the coming days – I am finally getting back on the ball around here, I think. 😉


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|Just really surprised to see a visitor from Cuba…happy surprise!
|The native Amerindian population of Cuba began to decline after the European discovery of the island by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1492 and following its development as a Spanish colony during the next several centuries. Large numbers of African slaves were imported to work the coffee and sugar plantations, and Havana became the launching point for the annual treasure fleets bound for Spain from Mexico and Peru. Spanish rule eventually provoked an independence movement and occasional rebellions that were harshly suppressed. US intervention during the Spanish-American War in 1898 assisted the Cubans in overthrowing Spanish rule. The Treaty of Paris established Cuban independence from the US in 1902 after which the island experienced a string of governments mostly dominated by the military and corrupt politicians. Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in 1959; his iron rule held the subsequent regime together for nearly five decades. He stepped down as president in February 2008 in favor of his younger brother Raul CASTRO. Cuba's communist revolution, with Soviet support, was exported throughout Latin America and Africa during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The country faced a severe economic downturn in 1990 following the withdrawal of former Soviet subsidies worth $4 billion to $6 billion annually. Cuba at times portrays the US embargo, in place since 1961, as the source if its difficulties. Illicit migration to the US – using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, air flights, or via the US's southwest border – is a continuing problem. The US Coast Guard interdicted 1,275 Cuban nationals attempting to cross the Straits of Florida in 2012.
Largest country in Caribbean and westernmost island of the Greater Antilles
|Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, 150 km south of Key West, Florida
|Geographic coordinates:
| total: 110,860 sq km
land: 109,820 sq km
water: 1,040 sq km
Size comparison: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
|Land Boundaries:
| total: 29 km
border countries: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay 29 km note: Guantanamo Naval Base is leased by the US and remains part of Cuba
|3,735 km
|Maritime claims:
| territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
|tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to April); rainy season (May to October)
|mostly flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains in the southeast
|Elevation extremes:
| lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Pico Turquino 2,005 m
|Natural resources:
|cobalt, nickel, iron ore, chromium, copper, salt, timber, silica, petroleum, arable land
|Land use:
| arable land: 32.31%
permanent crops: 3.55%
other: 64.15% (2011)
|Irrigated land:
|8,703 sq km (2003)
|Natural hazards:
|the east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to November (in general, the country averages about one hurricane every other year); droughts are common
|Current Environment Issues:
|air and water pollution; biodiversity loss; deforestation
|International Environment Agreements:
| party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
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| noun: Cuban(s)
adjective: Cuban
|Ethnic groups:
|white 65.1%, mulatto and mestizo 24.8%, black 10.1% (2002 census)
|Spanish (official)
| nominally Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jewish, Santeria
note: prior to CASTRO assuming power
|11,061,886 (July 2013 est.)
|Age structure:
| 0-14 years: 16.6% (male 944,254/female 892,766)
15-24 years: 13.9% (male 787,368/female 748,315)
25-54 years: 46.9% (male 2,611,371/female 2,578,471)
55-64 years: 10.3% (male 544,465/female 595,856)
65 years and over: 12.3% (male 611,086/female 747,934) (2013 est.)
|Dependency ratios:
| total dependency ratio: 41.9 %
youth dependency ratio: 23 %
elderly dependency ratio: 18.9 %
potential support ratio: 5.3 (2013)
|Median age:
| total: 39.5 years
male: 38.6 years
female: 40.3 years (2013 est.)
|Population growth rate:
|-0.13% (2013 est.)
|Birth rate:
|9.92 births/1,000 population (2013 est.)
|Death rate:
|7.58 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.)
|Net migration rate:
|-3.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.)
| urban population: 75% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
|Major urban areas – population:
|HAVANA (capital) 2.116 million (2011)
|Sex ratio:
| at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2013 est.)
|Maternal mortality rate:
|73 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
|Infant mortality rate:
| total: 4.76 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.12 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)
|Life expectancy at birth:
| total population: 78.05 years
male: 75.77 years
female: 80.46 years (2013 est.)
|Total fertility rate:
|1.46 children born/woman (2013 est.)
|Contraceptive prevalence rate:
|74.3% (2011)
|Health expenditures:
|10.6% of GDP (2010)
|Physicians density:
|6.4 physicians/1,000 population (2007)
|Hospital bed density:
|5.9 beds/1,000 population (2010)
|Drinking water source:
| improved:
urban: 96% of population
rural: 89% of population
total: 94% of population
|Sanitation facility access:
| improved:
urban: 94% of population
rural: 81% of population
total: 91% of population
|HIV/AIDS – adult prevalence rate:
|0.1% (2009 est.)
|HIV/AIDS – people living with HIV/AIDS:
|7,100 (2009 est.)
|HIV/AIDS – deaths:
|fewer than 100 (2009 est.)
|Obesity – adult prevalence rate:
|21.5% (2008)
|Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
|3.4% (2000)
|Education expenditures:
|12.9% of GDP (2010)
| definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.8% (2011 est.)
|School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
| total: 15 years
male: 15 years
female: 16 years (2011)
|Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
| total: 3.1%
male: 2.8%
female: 3.5% (2008)
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|Country name:
| conventional long form: Republic of Cuba
conventional short form: Cuba
local long form: Republica de Cuba
local short form: Cuba
|Government type:
|Communist state
| name: Havana
geographic coordinates: 23 07 N, 82 21 W
time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November; note – Cuba has been known to alter the schedule of DST on short notice in an attempt to conserve electricity for lighting
|Administrative divisions:
|15 provinces (provincias, singular – provincia) and 1 special municipality* (municipio especial); Artemisa, Camaguey, Ciego de Avila, Cienfuegos, Granma, Guantanamo, Holguin, Isla de la Juventud*, La Habana, Las Tunas, Matanzas, Mayabeque, Pinar del Rio, Sancti Spiritus, Santiago de Cuba, Villa Clara
|20 May 1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the US from 1898 to 1902); not acknowledged by the Cuban Government as a day of independence
|National holiday:
|Triumph of the Revolution, 1 January (1959)
|24 February 1976; amended July 1992 and June 2002
|Legal system:
|civil law system based on Spanish civil code
|16 years of age; universal
|Executive branch:
| chief of state: President of the Council of State and President of the Council of Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (president since 24 February 2008); First Vice President of the Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of Ministers Miguel DIAZ-CANEL Bermudez (since 24 February 2013); note – the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President of the Council of State and President of the Council of Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (president since 24 February 2008); First Vice President of the Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of Ministers Miguel DIAZ-CANEL Bermudez (since 24 February 2013)
cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the president of the Council of State and appointed by the National Assembly or the 28-member Council of State, elected by the assembly to act on its behalf when it is not in session (For more information visit the World Leaders website )
elections: president and vice presidents elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term; election last held on 24 February 2013 (next to be held in 2018)
election results: Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz reelected president; percent of legislative vote – 100%; Miguel DIAZ-CANEL Bermudez elected vice president; percent of legislative vote – 100%
|Legislative branch:
| unicameral National Assembly of People's Power or Asemblea Nacional del Poder Popular (number of seats in the National Assembly is based on population; 614 seats; members elected directly from slates approved by special candidacy commissions to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held on 3 February 2013 (next to be held in 2018)
election results: Cuba's Communist Party is the only legal party, and officially sanctioned candidates run unopposed
|Judicial branch:
| highest court(s): People's Supreme Court (consists of court president, vice president, 41 professional justices, and NA lay judges; organized into the "Whole," State Council, and criminal, civil, administrative, labor, crimes against the state, and military courts) judge selection and term of office: professional judges elected by the National Assembly to serve 2.5-year terms; lay judges nominated by workplace collectives and neighborhood associations and elected by municipal or provincial assemblies; lay judges appointed for 5-year terms and serve up to 30 days per year
subordinate courts: People's Provincial Courts; People's Regional Courts; People's Courts
|Political parties and leaders:
|Cuban Communist Party or PCC [Raul CASTRO Ruz, first secretary]
|Political pressure groups and leaders:
|Human Rights Watch National Association of Small Farmers
|International organization participation:
|ACP, ALBA, AOSIS, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IAEA, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS (excluded from formal participation since 1962), OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
|National anthem:
| name: "La Bayamesa" (The Bayamo Song)
lyrics/music: Pedro FIGUEREDO
note: adopted 1940; Pedro FIGUEREDO first performed "La Bayamesa" in 1868 during the Ten Years War against the Spanish; a leading figure in the uprising, FIGUEREDO was captured in 1870 and executed by a firing squad; just prior to the fusillade he is reputed to have shouted, "Morir por la Patria es vivir" (To die for the country is to live), a line from the anthem
|Diplomatic representation in the US:
| none; note – Cuba has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Principal Officer Jorge BOLANOS Suarez; address: Cuban Interests Section, Swiss Embassy, 2630 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009;
telephone: [1] (202) 797-8518;
|Diplomatic representation from the US:
| none; note – the US has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Chief of Mission John P. CAULFIELD; address: USINT, Swiss Embassy, Calzada between L and M Streets, Vedado, Havana;
telephone: [53] (7) 839-4100;
FAX: [53] (7) 839-4247; protecting power in Cuba is Switzerland
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The government continues to balance the need for loosening its socialist economic system against a desire for firm political control. The government in April 2011 held the first Cuban Communist Party Congress in almost 13 years, during which leaders approved a plan for wide-ranging economic changes. President Raul CASTRO said such changes were needed to update the economic model to ensure the survival of socialism. The government has expanded opportunities for self-employment and has introduced limited reforms, some initially implemented in the 1990s, to increase enterprise efficiency and alleviate serious shortages of food, consumer goods, services, and housing. The average Cuban's standard of living remains at a lower level than before the downturn of the 1990s, which was caused by the loss of Soviet aid and domestic inefficiencies. Since late 2000, Venezuela has been providing oil on preferential terms, and it currently supplies over 100,000 barrels per day of petroleum products. Cuba has been paying for the oil, in part, with the services of Cuban personnel in Venezuela including some 30,000 medical professionals.
|GDP (purchasing power parity):
| GDP (purchasing power parity): $121 billion (2012 est.) $117.3 billion (2011 est.) $114.1 billion (2010 est.)
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
|GDP (official exchange rate):
|GDP (official exchange rate): $72.3 billion (2012 est.)
|GDP – real growth rate:
|3.1% (2012 est.) 2.8% (2011 est.) 2.4% (2010 est.)
|GDP – per capita (PPP):
| GDP – per capita (PPP): $10,200 (2010 est.) $10,000 (2009 est.) $10,000 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
|Gross national saving:
|11.1% of GDP (2012 est.) 11.7% of GDP (2011 est.) 14.9% of GDP (2010 est.)
|GDP – composition, by end use:
| household consumption: 53.5%
government consumption: 35.4%
investment in fixed capital: 9.6%
investment in inventories: -2.2%
exports of goods and services: 24.6%
imports of goods and services: -20.9% (2012 est.)
|GDP – composition, by sector of origin:
| household consumption: 53.5%
government consumption: 35.4%
investment in fixed capital: 9.6%
investment in inventories: -2.2%
exports of goods and services: 24.6%
imports of goods and services: -20.9% (2012 est.)
|Agriculture – products:
|sugar, tobacco, citrus, coffee, rice, potatoes, beans; livestock
|petroleum, nickel/cobalt, pharmaceuticals, tobacco, construction, steel, cement, agricultural machinery, sugar
|Industrial production growth rate:
|6.2% (2012 est.)
|Labor force:
|5.18 million note: state sector 72.3%, non-state sector 27.7% (2012 est.)
|Labor force – by occupation:
| agriculture: 19.7%
industry: 17.1%
services: 63.2% (2011)
|Unemployment rate:
|3.8% (2012 est.) 3.2% (2011 est.) note: these are official rates; unofficial estimates are about double the official figures
|Population below poverty line:
|Household income or consumption by percentage share:
| lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
| revenues: $47.78 billion
expenditures: $50.45 billion (2012 est.)
|Taxes and other revenues:
|66.1% of GDP (2012 est.)
|Public debt:
|35.3% of GDP (2012 est.) 36% of GDP (2011 est.)
|Fiscal year:
|calendar year
|Inflation rate (consumer prices):
|Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.5% (2012 est.) 4.8% (2011 est.)
|Current account balance:
|$1 billion (2011 est.) $1.4 billion (2010 est.)
|$5.972 billion (2012 est.) $6.34 billion (2011 est.)
|Exports – commodities:
|petroleum, nickel, medical products, sugar, tobacco, fish, citrus, coffee
|Exports – partners:
|Canada 17.3%, China 16.6%, Venezuela 12.7%, Netherlands 8.8%, Spain 5.8% (2012)
|$13.72 billion (2012 est.) $14.02 billion (2011 est.)
|Imports – commodities:
|petroleum, food, machinery and equipment, chemicals
|Imports – partners:
|Venezuela 36.4%, China 10.5%, Spain 8.7%, Brazil 5.1%, US 4.2% (2012)
|Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
|$4.693 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $4.393 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
|Debt – external:
|$22.51 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $21.88 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
|Stock of direct foreign investment – at home:
|Stock of direct foreign investment – abroad:
|$4.138 billion (2006 est.)
|Exchange rates:
|Cuban pesos (CUP) per US dollar – 1 (2012 est.) 0.9847 (2011 est.) 0.9259 (2010 est.) 0.9259 (2009) 0.9259 (2008)
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|Electricity – production:
|17.8 billion kWh (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 76
|Electricity – consumption:
|16.38 billion kWh (2011 est.)
|Electricity – exports:
|0 kWh (2010 est.)
|Electricity – imports:
|0 kWh (2010 est.)
|Electricity – installed generating capacity:
|5.914 million kW (2011 est.)
|Electricity – from fossil fuels:
|99.3% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
|Electricity – from nuclear fuels:
|0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
|Electricity – from hydroelectric plants:
|0.6% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
|Electricity – from other renewable sources:
|0.1% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
|Crude oil – production:
|53,000 bbl/day (2012 est.)
|Crude oil – exports:
|83,000 bbl/day (2012 est.)
|Crude oil – imports:
|165,000 bbl/day (2012 est.)
|Crude oil – proved reserves:
|181.5 million bbl (1 January 2013 est.)
|Refined petroleum products – production:
|104,200 bbl/day (2010 est.)
|Refined petroleum products – consumption:
|150,200 bbl/day (2011 est.)
|Refined petroleum products – exports:
|0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
|Refined petroleum products – imports:
|73,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
|Natural gas – production:
|1.03 billion cu m (2012 est.)
|Natural gas – consumption:
|1.03 billion cu m (2012 est.)
|Natural gas – exports:
|0 cu m (2012 est.)
|Natural gas – imports:
|0 cu m (2012 est.)
|Natural gas – proved reserves:
|70.79 billion cu m (1 January 2012 est.)
|Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
|34.46 million Mt (2010 est.)
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|Telephones in use:
| 1.193 million (2011)
country comparison to the world: 70
|Cellular Phones in use:
|1.315 million (2011)
|Telephone system:
| general assessment: greater investment beginning in 1994 and the establishment of a new Ministry of Information Technology and Communications in 2000 has resulted in improvements in the system; national fiber-optic system under development; 95% of switches digitized by end of 2006; mobile-cellular telephone service is expensive and must be paid in convertible pesos, which effectively limits subscribership
domestic: fixed-line density remains low at 10 per 100 inhabitants; mobile-cellular service expanding but remains only about 10 per 100 persons
international: country code – 53; fiber-optic cable laid to but not linked to US network; satellite earth station – 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) (2010)
|Broadcast media:
|government owns and controls all broadcast media with private ownership of electronic media prohibited; government operates 4 national TV networks and many local TV stations; government operates 6 national radio networks, an international station, and many local radio stations; Radio-TV Marti is beamed from the US (2007)
|Internet country code:
|Internet hosts:
|3,244 (2012)
|Internet users:
|1.606 million note: private citizens are prohibited from buying computers or accessing the Internet without special authorization; foreigners may access the Internet in large hotels but are subject to firewalls; some Cubans buy illegal passwords on the black market or take advantage of public outlets to access limited email and the government-controlled "intranet" (2009)
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| 133 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 42
|Airports (paved runways):
| total 64
over 3,047 m: 7
2,438 to 3,047 m: 10
1,524 to 2,437 m: 16
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 27 (2013)
|Airports (unpaved runways):
| total 69
914 to 1,523 m: 11
|gas 41 km; oil 230 km (2013)
| total 8,203 km
standard gauge: 8,134 km 1.435-m gauge (124 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 69 km 1.000-m gauge
note: 48 km of standard gauge track is not for public use (2011)
| total 60,858 km
paved: 29,820 km (includes 639 km of expressways)
unpaved: 31,038 km (2001)
|240 km (almost all navigable inland waterways are near the mouths of rivers) (2011)
|Merchant marine:
| total 3
by type: cargo 1, passenger 1, refrigerated cargo 1
registered in other countries: 5 (Curacao 1, Panama 2, unknown 2) (2010)
|Ports and terminals:
|major seaport(s): Antilla, Cienfuegos, Guantanamo, Havana, Matanzas, Mariel, Nuevitas Bay, Santiago de Cuba
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|The collapse of the Soviet Union deprived the Cuban military of its major economic and logistic support and had a significant impact on the state of Cuban equipment; the army remains well trained and professional in nature; while the lack of replacement parts for its existing equipment has increasingly affected operational capabilities, Cuba remains able to offer considerable resistance to any regional power (2010)
|Military branches:
|Revolutionary Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias, FAR): Revolutionary Army (Ejercito Revolucionario, ER, includes Territorial Militia Troops (Milicia de Tropas de Territoriales, MTT)); Revolutionary Navy (Marina de Guerra Revolucionaria, MGR, includes Marine Corps); Revolutionary Air and Air Defense Forces (Defensas Anti-Aereas y Fuerza Aerea Revolucionaria, DAAFAR), Youth Labor Army (Ejercito Juvenil del Trabajo, EJT) (2011)
|Military service age and obligation:
|17-28 years of age for compulsory military service; 2-year service obligation; both sexes subject to military service (2012)
|Manpower available for military service:
| males age 16-49: 2,998,201
females age 16-49: 2,919,107 (2010 est.)
|Manpower fit for military service:
| males age 16-49: 2,446,131
females age 16-49: 2,375,590 (2010 est.)
|Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
| male: 72,823
female: 69,108 (2010 est.)
|Military expenditures:
|3.2% of GDP (2011)
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|Transnational Issues
|Disputes – International:
|US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased to US and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the facility can terminate the lease
|Illicit drugs:
|territorial waters and air space serve as transshipment zone for US- and European-bound drugs; established the death penalty for certain drug-related crimes in 1999 (2008)


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Thursday and Friday in the Bing Theater, Dance Camera West will hold its 11th annual Dance Media Film Festival—featuring a variety of short films all about dance, from around the world. Currently on view in BCAM is the exhibition Sharon Lockhart | Noa Eshkol, which also takes dance as its subject. We asked Sarah Elgart, Director of Artistic Development at Dance Camera West, for her thoughts on the exhibition.
In the exhibition Sharon Lockhart | Noa Eshkol, Los Angeles artist Sharon Lockhart engages in a kind of posthumous collaboration with the late Israeli dance composer Noa Eshkol. Eshkol developed the Eshkol-Wachman Movement Notation (EWNN) system with the architect Avraham Wachman. Although it's unclear whether Eshkol ever performed her work—she was apparently unconcerned with critical acclaim—Eshkol was really also a choreographer who with her somewhat minimalist style and tone was reminiscent of Yvonne Rainer. She and Wachman developed their notation system using a combination of numbers and symbols to define the motion of any limb around its joint, a system that reportedly has the ability to describe "virtually every perceptible movement of the body."
Walking into the Broad Contemporary Art Museum, where the arrival of the giant elevator alone provides a kind of performance and spectacle, what is immediately notable is the use of scale, both architecturally and in the work that is housed therein. As such, Lockhart's work is consistent with that notability. She works primarily with film and photography, using them to explore and gain insight into her subjects' lives and work. In the first room however are Lockhart's photographs, all hung vertically on the wall in contrast to Eshkol's work, which is displayed in adjoining rooms horizontally. At first glance these photographs seem almost like drawings—apparent and seemingly scientifically accurate interpretations of Eshkol's movement notation systems. These photographs are of beautiful spheres, each with different distinguished shapes within, and they are slightly reminiscent of cubism and/or what one might find in an instructional drawing book dealing with perspective. However, while perusing these, I was drawn forward by the ever audible, rhythmic background sound of a metronome, inviting me to see what lies in the next rooms. Here I was struck by the command of several large, rectangular structures, each one serving as a frontal projection screen for Eshkol's dances. What is immediately notable and powerful is that the dancers, mostly middle aged and into their seventies, are just about life size, and standing almost within reach. Their faces are neutral, betraying no emotion, and in the space around the dancers are Eshkol's tapestries, which appear almost like abstract paintings. The tapestries, seen in the final rooms of the show, are beautiful, abstract wall carpets, stitched together with recycled bits of fabric, drawing, symbols, and writings. The dances themselves are shot with static cameras, and succeed as straightforward and honest, un-manipulated documentation. This honesty, and the deliberate choice of dancers who were neither svelte nor very young, makes Eshkol's dance works remarkably refreshing in their simplicity; and in concert with Lockhart's use of scale, they have a subtle impact.
With its patterned and mostly symmetrical choreography, Eshkol's work is reminiscent in parts to the minimalist movement patterns used in the remarkable 3D thermal imaging film Ora by Philippe Baylaucq, which will appear in Dance Camera West's upcoming Dance Media Film Festival at LACMA. Baylaucq innovatively uses heat emanating from the dancers' bodies as the film's sole light source, and as in Lockhart's videos, the stark contrast of the dancers against a muted backdrop, coupled with unhurried, uniform choreography, draws attention to the negative space between the moving figures. Sharon Lockhart | Noa Eshkol also brings to mind RJ Muna's Origami, another film featured in the festival, that highlights the pattern and symmetry often created by minimalist movement.
Sarah Elgart, Director of Artistic Development, Dance Camera West


text:
Today's Music: Warren Zevon – Werewolves of London
On a serious note before we start – to all those affected by the hurricane this week, I hope you all weathered it with your usual style and panache, and that normalcy is returning to your part of the world.
For those interested, the Red Cross is collecting to help those that were devastated by the storm.
And if there's anything you can think of I can do to help you out, just let me know.
And away we go…
Oh, that was fun. Trees bending, tunnels filling with water. Beaches being washed away, Trumps hair seething in the rain, and all of the MTA closed for a few days.
How does one weather a hurricane? Why, by reading blogs, of course!
Here's some of what I saw.
butimbeautiful gave us her instructions on finding happiness
Mike Calahan shared his younger selfs' adventures in movie making, and Hasty Words wrote a great poem about coworkers.
You and everyone else made this week a little easier to get through!
Which brings us full circle to last week. The poll asked What is your Halloween costume?
And regardless of how you're dressed on the outside, you all are hilariously outlandish on the inside!
Here's what you said. (As always, my comments are searching for candy in italics.)
Mitt Romney, now that is definitely scary… Androgoth
(But his hair is perfect. (Anyone? Anyone?))
I loathe Halloween
(That's the spirit! Now just add moaning and a clanking chain.)
Usual night out clothes. Serial killers look like regular folks –Miss R
(You could pop your collar. That scares the crap out of me.)
Lily Munster, cause I don't have to get changed-butimbeautiful
(You need a Herman, so you can rest your drink on his head.)
Stepping on giant spider gave me costume idea: (slutty)spider buster! –asplenia
(And your sidekick, (Slutty) Dustbuster Guy!)
Someone pretending to care that it's Halloween.–Lily in Canada
(*Someone pretending to write a pithy response*)
A famous, published author – me! Benzeknees
(Go as a spray painter. Everyone will see your work!)
Dick Whitington, but the Cat can naff off… Androgoth
(I think Dick was just a mouthpiece for the cat.)
Well it won't be anything like Frankenstein's tart, she is on the next bus 😦 Androgoth
(No wearing the other revelers, Andro. hehehe…)
Myself, that is definitely scary enough I think? 🙂 Androgoth
(Aww, that's so cute!)
The girl who's not good at making costumes… (jillianlevi)
(Go as the Charlie Brown swiss cheese/ghost?)
A Happy Zombie (better than a depressed human) (Stacy)
(I bet the guy whose face you just ate doesn't think so!)
A squirrel in a pink tutu..awindowintothewoods
(Beats those pink elephants I see after my morning
tequila coffee…)
If Hotspur would show his face, I'll go as HIM! – words&otherthings
BUTTON cracked button 😉 LizzieC
(How about Red Buttons?)
a big cracked butt ..LizzieC
(So a plumber then?…)
Group costume. Making life sized binders, full of women & blow up dolls. –Quirky
Someone who's had too much candy. Carrie Cannibalistic Nerd
(I won't even have to buy a new outfit for that!)
Sawed in half/ badly reattached half Romney (left side) Obama (right) –B_T
(Since it's a political costume, you should stress the "disjointed".)
Mother Nature (my daughter picked it)
(Next year, bring the treats, leave the tricks. And you owe us a new tree.)
Roadkill (sandylikeabeach)
(Often confused on Halloween with "buffet"…)
El Guapo in a Flying Suit with Jets (Frank)
(Leading to next years costume,El Guapo with a big grin in a full body cast!)
Noncommitted (Kanerva)
(Wait – does that mean no straitjacket?)
Donald Trump — my hair's a mess (Elyse 54.5)
(If you're Donald Trump, the hair is the least of your problems!)
I can't tell you,it's a secret but I'll post pics. KJ
(You're the "Where's Waldo" of Halloweeners.)
A bored suburban housewife from Ohio. SnaapyG
(Mix it up a little. Go as a bored housewife from New Jersey.)
a person who no longer gives a fuck – Rodney Dangerfield
(Rodney Dangerfield is dead. Go as his zombie version!)
Congratulations to Quirky for this weeks winning answer! And from the offered choices, the most popular was Slutty Chewbacca. RooaAWwwrrRRrr!
So here we are at this week. Big news here is the elections. I'm voting Obama, and I hope you do the same. As Androgoth noted, Mitt Romney is scary.
But that's not the poll.
This week is falls between the anniversary of the very first poll, and the first time it was called Friday Foolishness.
Which means that, after a year of doing these, it's all about you. that's right folks. We're asking what you've learned from these polls!
Pour out your life lessons, and pour as often as you like, but pour them before 2359 EST on 8 Nov, because that's when this one closes.
And until we meet again, I leave you with these.
Before he was Mr. Bean, Rowan Atkinson was a stand up comedian.
The first clip has stuck with me for years. Rowan Atkinson as a priest:
And Rowan Atkinson as the Devil:
Have a great week everyone. See you on the flipside…